Disk plow and caster wheel



1948- A. E. RUTTER 2,448,469

DISK PLOW AND CASTER WHEEL Filed Jan. 25', 1945 2 Sheets-Shut 1 INVENTOR QMEM ATTORNEY Aug. 31, 1948. -A. E. RUTTER DISK PLOW AND CASTER WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1945 INVENTOR lg W 5% ATTORNEY Patented. Aug. 31, 1948 OFFICE DISK PLOW AND CASTER WHEEL q Alva]: n. Butter, mama, 111., assignor to J. I. Care Column-Racine, Wis. a corporation of Wisconsin Application January as. 1945, Serial No. 574,586

This invention relates to disk plows and an obiect thereof is to generally improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

A further object is to improve the construction I and operatiomof the power lift mechanism. More particularly an object of the invention is to provide for improved stability. of the plow details-disclosed, but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention asherein expressed.

Intne drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a disk ing the invention.

- Fig. 2 is a partial left side elevation of the same taken from slightly to the rear.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation somewhat enlarged with parts broken away and others removed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of certain mechanism indicatedin Fig. 2 with parts broken away. IFig. 5 isasectional view on the line 55 of As seen in Fig. 1. the .plow comprises a beam l0, supported by a land wheel II, a front furrow or supporting wheel I! and a rear furrow wheel II, beam it being supportedso as to extend in plow embodya direction oblique to the'path of travel of the implement in a manner common to plows of this type. Beam i0 supports a plurality of disks il-H in the present instance fixed relatively to the spindle ii, suitable bearings as II being spacedbelow beam in by brackets as I] and rotatively supporting spindle IS. A forwardly projecting framework generally designated as It connects with wheels ii and I: to support beam ll therefrom. Frame II also connects with a drawbar structure generally designated as l9 which-acts to propel the implement in a manner similar to that described in applicant's co-pending application, Serial 504,427, filed September 30, 1943; Wheel I! is connected with beam I I through. a frame or bracket generally designated as 20.

The implement is drawn by a tractor or the like. not shown, connected with a portion 2i of serum. (ma-w drawbar structure I! traveling in the direction indicated, wheel ll running on the unplowed ground, wheel I: running in the last previously formed furrow and wheel it running in the last ifurrow being formed at the moment. Disks ll are therefore advanced in well-known manner in a position to slice the ground as is common in disk plows of this type, a considerable reaction toward the left, as seen in Fig. 1. being developed. This reaction is withstood by wheels I! and II running against their respective furrow walls in well-known manner.

Such imp ements are heavy and expedients are commonly provided for raising them by power so that disks ll will clear the ground when it is desired to transport the implement from place to place. For this purpose, in the present instance, wheel II is mounted on a cyclic clutch of well-known type 22, having a crank arm II which describes a half-turn and comes to rest in the event of a pull on a trip rope 24 This motion raises or lowers beam l0 and frames II and 20 relatively to wheels H, II and it through mechanism similar to that disclosed in the above identified pending application.

Sufllcient to say, actuation by clutch 22 of crank arm 23 causes a swinging of an axle 25 through a link a to a normally fixed point on frame il in manner generally well-known with consequent raising or lowering of frame I I and beam ill. Swinging of axle 25 causes up-anddown movement of a link 21 which causes swinE- ing of an arm 28. Swinging of arm 2. actuates an upstanding arm 28 through a journal portion ll carried in a bearing 3| fixed on a portion of frame ll.

Arm 29 actuates a pull rod 32 which extends generally lengthwise of beam HI which rocks a lever 33 pivoted at it to a fitting 35 fixed with frame ll. Fitting I5 acts as a guide for a sliding axle portion 38 connected in'well-known manner 1 to wheel l2. A link l'l connects axle ll with shifting of axle II. The latter has an arm 4.

extending generally in a direction opposite to crank arm 25 as best shown in Fig. 2, and pivotally connected at 4i to a pull rod 42, a turnbuckle or other suitable length adjusting means 42 preferably being interposed. Rod 42 is pivoted at 44 to an arm 45 on a rock shaft 46 carried in above-mentioned bracket 20. Rock shaft 45 is fixed with a casting or fish tail unit generally designated as 41, or the like, having a bearing portion 48 and a flshtail portion 49. A crank axle generally designated as 50" has a journal portion 5| extending in a generally vertical direction in bearing 48 for lateral swinging movement of axle 50 and a spindle portion 52 on which is journaled above mentioned wheel I3. counterclockwise movement of axle 25, as

seen in Fig. 2, (corresponding to raising movement of the plow) therefore causes a pull on rod 42 and clockwise rotation of rock shaft 46. This depresses casting 41 and accordingly axle 50 and wheel iii. The movement of wheel l3. as will be apparent, has been made less than the movement of wheel ll since as is well-known, wheel ll normally travels in the bottom of the furrow and does not need to shift relatively to beam M to as great an extent as land wheel I I.

A crank and screw mechanism generally designated as 53 may be actuated to change the effective length or point of connection of link 26 to change the depth of plowing. It will be noted that with land wheel II in its raised or plowing position, arm and rod 42 are substantially in dead center relation so that small movements of axle 25 for adjusting the plowing depth have Virtually no effect on the action of'axle and furrow wheel I 3. Since furrow wheel I3 should remain substantially at th level of the lowest point of disks i4, no movement of axle 50 is necessary when adjusting the plowing depth. Turnbuckle 42 may be used to arrive at the proper position of axle 50 in the first instance.

Axle 50 may swing laterally in casting 41 in well-known manner but is limited in its movement to the right as seen in Figs. 1 and 3 by a set screw 58 engaged in fishtail portion 49 and which may be adjusted to position wheel I 3 to take its proper share of the landward pressure.

As will now be apparent, when it is desired to transport the implement from place to place. wheels I I, I2 and iii are lowered, or more properly, frame II and bracket 20 are raised relatively to wheels ll, I2 and ill by the action of power lift clutch 22, the implement then riding on the wheels with disks I 4 clear of the ground. Under these conditions, in the past, there has been a tendency for machines of this type to swing toward the right partly because of the unsymmetrical disposition of the weight and friction drag relatively to draw bar portion 2|. Due to the free swinging characteristic of axle 50, this swinging tendency has not been effectively resisted and the implement would not trail steadily. In the presexit-instance, an impositive force is provided tending to hold axle 50 yieldably in contact with set screw 56. For this purpose fishtail portion 49 is inclined downwardly toward the left side of the implement as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 so that as axle 50 swings to the left, it will necessarily raise casting 41 and bracket 20 a slight amount. Conversely, the weight imposed on bracket 20 will have a tendency to swing axle 50 to the right into 70 contact with set screw 58.

The amount of inclination of portion 49 is such that this tendency is easily overcome upon a left turn of the implement so that wheel l3 will not be dragged sidewise. However, in ordinary transporting of the implement, axle 50 will be substantially continuously maintained in contact with set screw 66.

Furthermore, the flshtail portion 49 is curved on its undersurface as particularly seen in Fig. 5. Thus as axle 50 swings to the left, (right as seen in Fig. 5) the resistance to swinging, above explained. increases because of the increasing lifting effect as the axle proceeds into the steeper slope of the curved surface.

The beneficial action is also apparent when the power lift is actuated at which times the drag on landwheel H tends to cause the left side of the implement to lag or drop back with a swinging of axle 50 to the left, as seen in Fig. 1. The yielding pressure tending to prevent swinging of axle 50 to the left also tends to resist swinging of the implement to the right and consequently prevents or minimizes swinging of the implement upon actuation of the power lift.

A counterbalancing spring 51 is tensioned between above mentioned bearing l6 and crank axle 25 to assist in the lifting movement of clutch 22. By virtue of this spring and spring 39, the stresses in the parts are substantially reduced. Drawbar portion 2| is pivoted at 58 to links 59 and 60 which are engaged at suitable points with frame ll. Portion 2| may swing relatively to links 59 and 60 when the plow is turned and an ear ii is pivotally connected by a link 62 to an arm 63 fixed with above mentioned axle 36.

Swinging of member 2| will therefore cause swinging or steering movement of axle 36 and accordingly of front furrow or supporting wheel l2.

Preferably, fishtail casting 41 is so formed that hearing portion 4! is inclined somewhat to the left as seen in Fig. 3, this inclination tending to assist in the action of the weight of the implement in urging axle 50 and wheel H to the right. In order to maintain the adjustment of set screw 56', a lock nut 82 is provided.

The operation of the invention is thought to be clear from the above description, the implement being raised and lowered in the manner similar to that described in applicant's co-pending application. The tendency toward swinging or unsteady running of the implement being yleldably resisted by the action of axle I0, as heretofore described.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment ofthe invention, what is claimed as'new and desired to b secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a disk plow of the type having a plurality of disks disposed axially oblique to .the direction of travel so as to result in a landward thrust. said plow having a power lift and a rear furrow wheel, a laterally swingable axle for the furrow wheel, a connection to said axle including a substantially horizontal pivot, a flshtail member carried by said substantially horizontal pivot and a pivotal connection between said axle and said flshtail member .providing free lateral swinging movement of said axle at all times, said pivotal connection being upwardly directed and inclined upwardly and toward the landside of said plow for biasing said swinging movement in one direction, said flshtail member including a downwardly directed guiding surface concentric with said pivotal connection and engaging said axle for guiding it in its lateral swinging, spaced stop portions on said fishtail member for limiting the swinging of said axle, and a connection from said power lift for rocking 1 said ilshtail member about said substantially horizontal pivot.

2. In a disk plow oi the type having a plurality of disks disposed axially oblique to the direction of travel so as to result in a landward thrust, said plow having a power lift and a rear furrow wheel, a laterally swingable crank axle for said rear'furrow wheel, a connection to said plow for said axle including a substantially horizontal pivot, a fishtail casting carried by said horizontal pivot. a Journal bearing for said crank axle in said flshtail casting. said bearing being upwardly directed and inclined upwardly and toward the landside of said plow for biasing said axle in one direction, said flshtail casting including a downwardly directed guiding surface concentric with said bearing and engaging said axle for guiding it in its lateral swinging, stop means for limiting the swinging of said axle in the direction in which it is biased by the inclination of said Journal bearing, and said stop means being adjustable for varying the position of said axle at the extremity of its lateral swinging movement in the biased direction.

3. In a disk plow oi the type having a plurality of disks disposed axially oblique to the direction of travel so as to result in a landward thrust, said plow having a power lift and a rear furrow wheel, a laterally swingable crank axle tor said rear turrow wheel, a connection to said plow for said axle including a substantially horizontal pivot, a fishtail casting carried by said horizontal pivot, a

Journal bearing for said crank axle in said flshtail so casting, said bearing being upwardly directed and inclined upwardly and toward the landside of said plow for biasing said axle in one direction, said flshtail casting including a downwardly directed guiding surface concentric with said bearing and engaging said axle. for guiding it in its lateral swinging, spaced stop portions on said flshtail casting for limiting the swinging of said axle, the stop portion disposed in the direction in which said axle is biased by the inclination of said journai bearing being adjustable for varying the position of said axle at the extremity of its lateral swinging movement in thebiased direction.

ALVAH E. RU'I'I'ER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 629,732 Waterman July 25, 1899 1,308,169 7 Crane July 1, 1919 1,865,598 Verity July 5, 1932 1,885,955 Silver Nov. 1, 1932 2,256,816 Scarlett Sept. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Australia Sept. 29, 1939 

